Five native Alaskan communities will be given aid in community energy planning, education, and training. Also, one rural village will be selected to receive $250,000 of federal funding for a sustainability project of the village’s choice.

“Through the START program, we are helping Native American and Alaska Native communities increase local generation capacity, enhance energy efficiency measures and create job opportunities in the new clean energy economy,” said Tracey A. LeBeau, director of Energy Department’s Office of Indian Energy, on the DOE website. “The technical assistance awards for clean energy tribal projects announced today will help advance sustainable rural resources, while addressing the unique energy challenges facing Alaskan communities.”

These awards through the START program will build on technical assistance award that the villages received last year. Thus, the further assistance will allow villages to enhance local energy efficiency.

According to the DOE, these are the villages receiving aid for their respective projects:

The following Alaska Native entities were selected for the 2013 START Program and will receive technical assistance over the next six to nine months: